This invention relates to high-speed optical digital circuits and, more particularly, to an optical crossbar exchange arrangement.
To effectively utilize the greater bandwidth inherent in optical signals, it is necessary to develop logic devices and circuits that use all-optical components. Recently, all-optical logic devices have been developed utilizing a Sagnac interferometer in a variety of arrangements to accomplish the switching function. Illustrations of these devices are described in the following articles:
"Pulsed-Mode Laser Sagnac Interferometry with Applications in Nonlinear Optics and Optical Switching", Applied Optics, Vol. 25, No. 2, January 1986, pp. 209-214, Li et al.; "Soliton Switching in a Fiber Nonlinear Loop Mirror", Optics Letters, Vol. 14, No. 15, Aug. 1, 1989, pp. 811-813, Islam et al.; "Optical Fiber Switch Employing a Sagnac Interferometer", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 55, pp. 25, 1989, Farries et al.; "Ultrafast, low power, and highly stable all-optical switching in an all polarization maintaining fiber Sagnac interferometer," Conference record of April 1990 topical Meeting on Photonic Switching, paper 13C-16, M. Jinno and T. Matsumoto.
Notwithstanding these latest advancements, there is a continued need to improve existing all-optical logic devices and to develop new all-optical logic devices.